I’ve been lurking here since mid-1999, and registered for just about a month, but that’s been enough. The level of hostility here is more than I can stand. Why, I myself have gotten a tad miffed more than once, and I don’t like myself for it. To the many gracious and erudite members who made this experience almost worthwhile, thanks. But for me, it’s back to the world of “16/m w/pic, IM me.” And no, I WON’T let the door hit me on the ass on my way out.
I can’t blame you. You’re not the first good poster we’ve lost to recurrent erruptions of ill will. Just another reminder to me to try and follow the “Don’t be a jerk” rule. I hope I’m not the only one to look at it that way.
Say it isn’t so!
A few months ago I became disenchanted with the SDMB.
I stayed away for a while only to return a week or two ago.
I know of others who “took a break” to return later, some with new handles.
Take a few weeks off, then try it again.
The BB is very dynamic with new posters comming in and, like myself, leave for a while or forever. Do reconcider!
Zymurgist
If you let them drive you off…they win.
Lord Flasheart to Nursie: I like it firm and fruity. Am I glad to see you
or did I just put a canoe in my pocket?
Lord Flasheart: She’s got a tongue like an electric eel and she likes the
taste of a man’s tonsils.
I am sorry to see ya go, Darkwing, maybe take a break and come back soon. There is some hostility in certain parts of the board, but the knowledge to be gained from the board is great as well.
From history, to science to metaphysics, there is alot to be learned.
I agree with Carl, its a good idea to take a break, and come back, things might look refreshingly new.
I also agree with Ursa, this is a good post for those of us who are staying to remember not to be a jerk.
Well, I said my bit. (oh and I said others bits as well)
pat
I always liked your screenname.
We’re not all assholes, but the potent cases we have around here can be difficult. Hope you return to lurking, at least.
formerly known as LauraRae
I’m a Raggety Ann in a Barbie Doll world.
I dont blame you DW, I am pretty much done here too, its too hard on the head. If I want to see all this hate, I will visit my ex’s parents.
I hear alot of " Its just a message board"
Yeah, well, its also just a bathroom wall, but if you write hateful things there, it still hurts people…
I tell my kids: You cant take words back after they get out of your mouth.
When people attact others in such a personal and vicious way, how can it not hurt them? Are they not human?
If someone I dont know in a chat room tells me I am a worthless peice of shit, I blow it off, but if someone whose intellect I respect, and ALL THEIR FRIENDS tell me I am a worthless peice of shit, well, I gotta tell ya, I start to wonder.
Words can hurt people, and when you let them loose upon others, you cant hide behind “Its ONLY a message board” when they actually hurt someone…just because this is the internet doesnt exclude us from basic rules of conduct that we follow in all other areas of our lives. If a co-worker was distraught, would you tell them to get over it?
No, you would be supportive, or silent.
I am as guilty as anyone else of jumping all over someone, and trashing them, and I dont like myself for doing it. I wasnt like that before, and I think its the hate here thats seeping into me.
Between the troll parade, the fundies, and more trolls, our little community has really gone to hell. For any part I have played in that, I sincerely apologise.
This has been a most awful day.
I hope tomorrow is better for all of us.
I hope you just take a break and come back, Darkwing. Which is rankest hypocrisy because I’ve pretty well burned out here, too. Maybe some sleep and time away will help.
No matter what, I enjoyed your posts a lot. All the best to you.
Veb
If you’re still out there DW, take some advice from me… Just stop posting to shit topics. I have almost stopped posting, for I have nothing really important to add and I tend to stay away from anything that might get me pissed. So basically, I just lurk. Its as if all the threads have been done before, and its getting old for me. (hell, I’ve been around for nearly a freakin year now!) By just kickin it, you get to see all the bitch fights, the lame excuses for flirting, and really stupid attempts at trying to be funny. By not posting as much mundane pointless stuff you tend to do stuff outside of sitting in front of a computer and saying “yeah, I like this commercial, but you’re a troll, so go die”
“People must think it must be fun to be a super genuis,
But they don’t realize how hard it is
to put up with all the idiots in the world.”
– Calvin and Hobbes
(__)
/
DWD, Banks has the right idea. Leaving solves nothing. Giving up and walking out makes sense if you’re fighting a lone battle. That isn’t the case here. There are plenty of people who want the board to be a place of refuge from all the nonsense that goes on IRL.
The problem, I think, is that the very nature of this board is to be argumentative. People ask difficult questions, (some personal, some not) and difficult questions are difficult because various answers are equally valid. Most of the posters are people who are use to being the ones with all the answers in real life, and the egotism that comes with that goes to the head. I, for one, have had my humility restored several times here. That’s why I like it.
Yes, there are a few troublemakers who make life hard for everyone else. Unlike real life, we can’t just turn our backs on them and ignore them. They keep getting in people’s faces and saying whatever tactless thing that comes to mind. If we ignore their posts, they just deliver more posts. It’s sad, and the only way that they can be made to change or leave is by making the environment ill-suited for their ill-advised rants.
Stay and make a difference, Duck.
I Saw a Man
*I saw a man pursuing the horizon;
Round and round they sped.
I was disturbed at this;
I accosted the man.
“It is futile,” I said,
“You can never”–
“You lie,” he cried,
And ran on.
-Stephen Crane*
I personally think (I’ve said this before) that the whole BBQ Pit section of the forum should be cancelled. Instead of telling people “If you want to be rude, go to the pit” it would be just as easy to say “If you want to be rude, go somewhere else.” More work for the moderators, but I think we would have less unpleasant situations on the board.
Hmmm…I don’t know what to say. I vote for taking a breather and coming back.
Frankly, I get a lot out of this board. I’m not here enough to really, really know everyone, but I think most of the people here have something of value to offer. I love reading some of the debates, and finding myself “educated” by people who have different, and exciting opinions. It helps me tolerate the stifling ignorance of the current Hayseed town that I live in.
Sure, there are the trolls. But it doesn’t take long to weed them out. And it’s always been my policy to “ignore ignore ignore” a troll as soon as their true colors are exposed. (Well…maybe I have a little bit of fun with them before I ignore, but that gets old fast.) If more people would ignore the trolls quicker, a lot of our problems would be solved.
There has been a great deal of stress on this board in the last few days, but I don’t think it’s typical. It’ll pass. There are plenty (and will always be plenty) of topics worth reading, and responding to. I think that after a while you learn which topics to avoid, and not revisit. And, if the BBQ Pit is an area you don’t want to visit, DON’T. I sometimes find it amusing, but at other times, it just goes over the top. Frankly, I’ve never found the need to wish someone that I’ve never even met to get some fatal disease and die. And people seem to do that a lot in the Pit. Waaayyy too hostile for me.
Well, that’s my bit. You will not be doing yourself a favor to quit outright. There are still plenty of things here that are of value, in my opinion.
I almost forgot, GQ and GD are great places to get ideas for papers in English class. If the ideas come from here, its almost guaranteed to make you look smart.
“People must think it must be fun to be a super genuis,
But they don’t realize how hard it is
to put up with all the idiots in the world.”
– Calvin and Hobbes
(__)
/
Dark Wing Duck, I’ll hold the door to make sure it doesn’t hit you in the ass 
Whatever, you finally decide to do, I wish you all the best, but I am really with the others in encouraging you to just take a break for a while. In a few weeks, month, whatever, it’ll probably be less heated around here. Of course, that’s just my opinion. If you really do decide to leave for good, again, I wish you all the best, and I hope I run into you somewhere else sometime
Princess of the Time and Space Continuum since 1969 (upgraded to Goddess 01/07/00)
S.S.D.A., SDMB Self-Righteous Clique =^…^=
Dark Wing,
if you’re still lurking, please check out the following thread to get a somewhat different perspective on how the valued members of this Board care for each other:
http://www.straightdope.com/ubb/Forum4/HTML/004646.html
best wishes.
and the stars o’erhead were dancing heel to toe